Embedding Robots Into the Process

With the trends in manufacturing putting a focus on systems becoming more space-efficient, embedding robots more tightly into the process and the versatility of programmable safety zones are having a big impact on new machine designs.

Users can now have a huge robot work up against a safety fence, and know that the robot can’t get within 18 inches of that fence to meet the safety standards. The result is that especially in applications where hard automation has been used in the past, off-the-shelf robotic arms and mechanisms are being designed into systems such as cartoners or palletizers with the robot becoming integrated more closely with the line controls.

A palletizing solution using ABB SafeMove programmable safety zones enables the robot to safely work continuously even when operators are working on a pallet changeover.

In designing new automation cells, the safety fences can be moved closer to the robot and reduce the required floor space down to the absolute minimum amount needed. That is something we are able to do today that, until the last few years, we were never able to do before.

Even though the safety standard has allowed it, more and more users are comfortable with this technology. One of the things designers are doing now is utilizing technology such as FANUC’s Dual Check Safety software to automatically enable and disable zones through safety inputs on the robot. What that allows the application to do is interact with the robot without the need for a fence at all.

Cicco said that on the big robot side, for example, there may be a need to provide a big stamping or large forging to a robot, or for an operator to hand off a piece to a robot. In the past, the part would have needed to be placed on a conveyor, which would typically travel through some light curtains, or be placed on a pallet that was conveyed into the cell.

But now, users can have an open area protected by a light curtain. If a worker breaks the light curtain and is standing in the area, the robot can continue to work even if the person moving into the area has disabled the safety zones, and the robot knows how to come close to the person. If the worker goes too far, stepping on a safety mat or breaking another light curtain, the robot automatically stops so you can’t walk directly to the robot.

To capitalize even more on space savings, an interlocked automated barrier door could be applied using the same distance formula used for light curtains, however, a properly interlocked door can be placed closer to the process further enhancing space savings and safety.

Notarboca, We've all seen those large areas in plants with fencing for the robots and sophisticated safety systems. There is certainly a strong trend to integrating robots both into machines, and also using programmable zones as a way to reduce floor space requirements in plants.

Naperlou, The software for programmable safety zones is a technology where a number of robot makers have already invested in the development, so the application code to use it is much more straightforward and easy to implement.

Al, this is a good innovation. Allowing robots and people to work more closely, without intervening machinery, will make both more efficient. The key, of course, is the software. I am sure developing and testing this software must be a tremendous task.

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